Clutch



J. C. OLLARD.

CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. Is. 1911. RENEWED OCT. 3!. 1919.

Patented Mar. 9,1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET I INVENTOR.

kmes 0//arc/ BY A TTORNE Y.

CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED MN. 18, I911. RENEWED OCT. 3|, I919.

1,333,440. v Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- w" s M 1 3 INVENTOR.

ame C.

A TTORNE Y.

J. c. OLLARD.

CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-18,1917- RENEWED OCT. 31, 1919- v Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR.

- j /var a/rd A TTORNE Y.

UNITED STATES JAMES C. OLLARD, 0F TACOMA, WASHINGTON.

CLUTCH.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Mar. 9, 1920.-

Application filed January 18, 1917, Serial No. 143,075. Renewed October 31, 1919. Serial No. 334,886.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES C. OLLARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce, State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clutches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clutching devices whereby a ,rotating shaft may be releasably connected to another shaft, and has special reference to clutches for use in automobiles, power trucks, tractors, boats,.hoisti'ng machines, and in other similar conditions.

This clutch is of the type which runs in oil and in which a single driven disk is engaged between two driving disks.

The objects of the invention are, first, to roduce a light and compact mechanism.

- whlch shall yet be of great strength; sec- 'ond, to provide a means for attaining great leverage on the clamping disks so that a light clutch spring may be used to pro vide the necessary clamping force; th ird,l to materially reduce the work necessary to release the clamping action of the disks; v

provided with an outward flange 11 abutfourth, to reduce the wear on the control collar; fifth, to provide a means whereby a single adjustment of the mechanism will equally adjust all parts thereof to take up the-wear of the friction parts; and sixth,

. to provide a clutch which can-be cheaply made. easily assembled, repaired and ad'- justed, and which will be effective and ef-. ficient in its action. 2

I attain these and other objects by the devices, mechanisms, and arrangements illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- I Figure 1 is a side elevation of the clutch mechanism showing the oil-containing casing in broken lines; Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionof the main body of the clutch; Fig. 4 is an end elevation thereof; Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the clutch assembled and in action; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the ad- -justable member of the clutch; Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the movable clutch member; Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the adjustable member, together with the clamp levers mounted thereon, the operating sleeve being shown in cross-section; and- Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are respectively a croasection. longitudinal section. and a'plan of a portion of the main body of theclutch illustrating the oil jet device therein.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views..

This clutch is designed to connect a driving shaft with a driven shaft for any of the well known purposesfor which such devices are usually used.

Referring to the drawings it will be observed that the driving shaft 1 is provided with a disk or flange 2 at its end. The main body of the clutch is secured to this disk 2 by bolts or other suitable means. This main body consists of a disk portion 3 which is surrounded by a flange portion 4 extendting against the edge of the part 4. Suitable screws 12 pass through the flange 11, into the part 4.to fasten the said lining 10 to the main part. Referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the inner edge 13 of the lining '10 is cut away to lighten it, except at six places. At alternate three of these places the lining is formed with an inward-extending shoulder or lug 14, each of which is adapted to be engaged by a suitable arm on themovable clutch member, and at the other three alternate places the lining is formed with a lug 15 from which a dowel. pin 16 extends into the wooden friction disk 17. Also said lining 10 is provided, for the purpose hereinafter specified, with three inward-projecting screw-threaded pins 18 positioned near the outer edge, suitable bosses 19 being provided therefor adjacent to said flange 11.

The wooden clamped between the inner face of the disk 3 and the six lugs 14 and 15 of the lining piece 10 by means-of the above mentioned screws 12 and is held from any relative rotary motion' by means of the three dowel pins 16 which enter suitable holes 20 therein. The wooden friction disk 17 is annular in form. and is concentric with the arms of the shaft 1.

The driven shaft 7 is provided with a reduced end part 6 fitting in the central hole 5 of the disk 3 and with a suitable steel friction disk 21 keyed or otherwise secured thereto, and lying adjacent to the wooden friction disk 17. The end of the shaft 7 is thus partially supported, or rather held in alinement, by the end 6 in the hole 5, but

it is mainly supported by a long bearing 22 which in turn'is .supported by the main body. of the clutch as hereinafter described. It is therefore impossible for the shafts 1 and 7 to get out of alinement.

The adjustable member of the clutch is illustrated inFigs. 2, 5, 6 and 8 and consists of a disk portion 23 having a central boss 24 surrounding the shaft 7, said boss 24 having a bearing lining 22 therein, wherein said shaft 7 may turn. The boss 24 is also provided with a keyway 25 therein, which is engaged by a key 26 on the operating sleeve as hereinafter described. The boss 24 is further provided with a screwnut 27 at its end, said nut being adapted to form a flange against which the clutch spring 28 engages. The disk 23 *yextends outward from the boss 24 and terminates in a narrow flange 29 which .fits in the lining'casting'lO, and said flange 29 is provided with three lateral extensions 30 each of which is provided with an elongated inclined slot 31 therein, through which the, abovedescribed pins 18 pass, said pinsbeing each provided with a suitable nut whereby the flanges 30 are secured to the main body of the clutch. Thus it will be seen that the adjustable member is firmly secured to the main body of the clutch and that the bearing 22, which guides and supports the driven shaft 7, is supported by the said main body "that therefore the shaft 7 and its disk 3 "are firmly journaled injthe clutchybemg hav rotational and axial relative otion therein; so far as these parts are con earned, but held thereby against any relative eccentricity. It is evident that if the adjustable member is slightly turned or rotated within the lining 10, that'the pins 18 and the inclined slots 31 will cause the disk 23 to move nearer to or farther from the disks 3 and 17, and that when it has once been thus' I adjusted it is held in such adjusted position by means of the nuts on the ins 18. The disk 23 is provided with three oles 32 (Fig. 5) therein and adjacent each such hole is also provided with a pair of lugs 33 extend ing therefrom wherein the clutch levers are mounted, a portion of each such lever passing through the hole 32. Thus it Wlll be seen that the parts 3, 4, 10 and" 23 form a substantially closed drum wherein the clutching disks are mounted. Another central'bo'ss or hub 34 extends from the inward face "of the disk 23 and is adapted to support and guide the movable clutch member.

The movable clutch member (Figs. 5 and 7) is formed of a metal disk 35 slidably mounted on the boss 34 and having outwardly extending lugs or arms 36 which embrace and engage the shoulder lugs 14 formed on the lining 10 and whereby it is forced to rotate with the main body of the clutch though free to move axially therein. An annular wooden disk 37 is secured to the faceof the disk 35, adjacent 'to the steel disk 21 of'the shaft 7, bv means of suitable bolts. A ring 38 of steel or other suitable metal, is secured to the opposite or outer face of the disk 35, said ring 38 being concentric with the clutch and being adapted to be engaged by those portions of the clutch levers which pass through the holes 32 in the adjustable disk 23.

The clutch levers each consistof an arm 39 pivotally secured at one end by means of the pivot pin 40 to the pair of lugs 33 on the disk 23, and each has a head 41 formed at the other end, said heads 41 lying between and engaging the lugs 42 formed on the operating sleeve. A short arm 43 extends from the arm 39 at a point close to the pivot pin 40 and passes through the hole 32 in the disk 23. A hardened steel shoe 44 is removably secured to the end of the arm 43 and bears on the steel ring 38 on the movable clutch disk 35, as above described. Figs. 2 and 8 clearly show that the arms 39 are not arranged radially but are turned so that their heads 41 lie adjacent the operating sleeve 45 and the,portions of the arms 39 near the said heads 41 are practically'tangent to the surface' bf the sleeve, thus securing a much.

I the head 41 and the straight substantial tangentially arranged portion, is curved ap- -.proximately concentric with the sleeve.-

" The operating sleeve 45 fits over the central boss 24 of the adjustable member and is connected thereto by means of the key 26 on I the sleeve which slides in the keyway 25 in the boss 24 so as to be free to move axially thereon but having no relative rotary motion allowed. The sleeve is provided with acylindrical, extension 46, of lar r diamter and forming a casing over t e clutch spring 28 which bears against the nut 27 as above described and against .the shoulder formed. between the parts 45 and 46. The extension 46 is provlded with a flange 47 around its outer face intermediate of its ends and with a'nut 48 at its outer end. The usual operating coller 49, provided with trunnions 50, is mounted between a pair of antifriction rings 51, said parts 49 and 51 being mounted on the extension 46 between the flange 47 and the nut 48. 1 The sleeve 45 is also provided with threepairs of lugs 42 (Figs. 2, 5 and 8) which are positioned as clearly shown in Fig. 8 so that the head 41 lying between the lugs forming a pair will be positioned on a radius substantially at right angles to the radius leading to the pivot 40. The key 26 prevents the relative rotational movement of the arm and the lugs so that, in whatever position the adjustable member may be turned in making the above described adjustment, the sleeve and the lugs 42' move with it and with the arm 39 mounted on it so that the heads 41 always remain between the lugs 42.

In view of the fact that by arranging the arms 39 so that they lie in a non-radial direction and can therefore have a "great leverage, it is evident that a smaller pressure is required to produce the same clamping effect than would be the case if they were radial and had a smaller levera e. Thus the strength of the clamping spr1ng28 may be correspondingly reduced and this reduction in the compression of the spring 28 has two very practical advantages. 'By referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the foot-lever 52 acts through the two arms 53 to engage the' trunnions 50. When the lever 52 is pressed by the foot, it draws the collar 49 the sleeve 45 outward against the action-10f the said clutch spring 28 and if this is-al stifl' spring it is evident that a considerable-force must be applied'to the foot-lever '52, and when the machine is on a long downrade this force soon becomes very tiring, ence it is a great advantage to reduce the force of the spring; further, when this withdrawing force is applied to the collar49, through the trunnions 50 as above, it acts through the rin 51 between it and" the nut 48, and, again, if this spring 28 is stiff, the friction between the parts 49, 51 and 48 is quite large and results in a rapid wearing away of the ring 51, while if the spring 28 is weak this wear is very greatly reduced.

It is further-to be noted that the wear of all the friction disks 17, 21 and 37 is taken up 'by the single adjustment of the part 23 in the lining 10, as above described, and 1s equal at all points around! the clrcle since the part 23 is adjusted as a whole and carries with it all the pivots 40 and their levers 39, hence the adjustment of said part 23 equally adjusts all said pivots and levers and there- 'fore adjusts equally all the shoes 44 and the disk 35.

As above mentioned, the clutch runs in a bath of oil contained in an outer casing indicated by the broken lines 54 in Fig. 1; and the outer surface of the drum or flange 4 is provided with oil scoops 8. Referr ng to Figs. 9, 10 and 11 it will be seen that the passage 9 leading from the scoop 8 through the part 4 is formed with converging sides so that when the scoop strikes the oil in the bath the inertia of the oil forces it through the contracted throat of the passage 9 to form a jet squirting the oil into the interior of the clutch against the action both of gravity and centr1fugal force and thoroughly and contlnuously oiling the vfriction surfaces of the clutch.

Having described my invention, what I axial position of said member is controlled by the relative rotative position of said member and said drum; and clampingmea-ns carried by said adjusting member and engaging said movable clamp disk to move it axially, whereby said free disk is clamped between said rotating disks and whereby said clamping action is adjusted by the relative rotation of said adjusting member.

2. In a shaft clutch, the combination with a driving. shaft; of a disk having a drum flange formed thereon and secured to said driving shaft, said disk carrying a clamp disk secured to its inner face within the I drum; an adjusting member secured to said drum flange and comprising a disk within the drum and an out-turned flange engaging the inner surface of the drum, said adjusting member having inclined slots in said out-turned flange; securing bolts extending inward from said drum and passing through said slots whereby the axial position of said member is controlled by the relative rotativeposition of said member and said drum, said member closing the drum and having openings, therethrough; a movable clamp disk within the closed drum and adjacent the adjusting member, said movable member turning with said drum but free to move axiall therein; a free disk secured to the driven shaft and positioned between said two clamp.

disks and adaptedto be clamped therebetween to rotate therewith; and clamping means carried by said adjusting member and extending through the openings therein to engage said movable clamping disk to move it axially whereby said free disk is clamped between said rotating disks and whereby saidclamping action is adjusted by the relative rotation of said adjusting member.

3. In a shaft 1: utch, the combination with a driving shaft;

of a main disk having a drum flange formed thereon; a friction disk positioned adjacent to the inner surface of said main disk; a lining body fitting in said drum flange and engaging said friction disk to clamp it against said main disk; a flange extending outward from said lining body; and screw means engagin said lining flange and said drum where y said lining flange is drawn toward said drum flange to rilailpp said friction disk against said main (1s 4. In a shaft clutch, the combination with a driving shaft; of a main disk having a drum flange formed thereon; a friction disk positioned adjacent to the inner surface of said main disk; at lining body fitting in said drum flange and engaging the friction disk to clamp itagainst said main disk; a flange extending outward from said lining body;

screw means engaging said lining flange and said drum whereby said lining flange is drawn toward said drum flange to clamp said friction disk against said main disk;

and dowel pins extending from the edge of said lining body and extending into suitable holes in said friction disk whereby said friction disk is forced: to rotate with said main disk.

5. In a shaft clutch, the combination with a driving shaft; of a main disk having a drum flange formed thereon; an adjusting member comprising a disk within the drum and an out-turned flange fitting in the inner surface of the drum, said adjusting member having inclined slots in its out turned flange, said member closing the drum and having openings therethrou-gh; securing bolts extending inward from said drum and passing through said slots whereby the axial position of said member is adjusted by the" relative rotation of said member in said drum; a bearing boss formed on said adjusting member; a driven shaft mounted in said bearing boss; clutch mechanism mounted Within the drum: whereby said driven shaft is releasalbly connected to said driving shaft; and clamping means carried by said adjusting member and extending through said openings therein to engage and operate the clutch mechanism, whereby the clamping action between the said two shafts is adjusted by the relative rotation of said adjusting member in said drum.

JAMES C. OLLARD. 

